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Cool #9
Cool #9
Joined: 01 Dec 2000
Posts: 44131
PostPosted: 10-10-2019 12:18 AM           Profile   Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


Surely you must've heard of the professional Hearthstone player who got banned by Blizzard about 3 milliseconds after making pro Hong Kong protestor statements during a championship live stream. Lots of people (saying they are) uninstalling all Blizzard games over this. I'm a bit on the fence about it. China are massive dicks and Blizzard definitely could've handled this better, but I also understand the two way split they're in.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/ ... g-protests




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Messatsu Ko Jy-ouu
Messatsu Ko Jy-ouu
Joined: 24 Nov 2000
Posts: 44139
PostPosted: 10-10-2019 12:59 AM           Profile   Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


whats the split, precisely?
blizzard decided to act on a political statement, not only banning the player but confiscating his prize money?
Shutting down the stream I can understand, if your policy is to not allow political statements. Taking away someones prize because you don't agree with their views? That's odd, especially as a corporation.




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Cool #9
Cool #9
Joined: 01 Dec 2000
Posts: 44131
PostPosted: 10-10-2019 01:11 AM           Profile   Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


MKJ wrote:
whats the split, precisely?


Between standing up for your own values and making big, big moneys in China. Blizzard doesn't want to risk their foray into the Chinese market so they have to appease the great red leader in Beijing. The question is, what was the minimal thing they had to do in order to remain in good favor with China? Sure, Blizzard could've said "fuck Chiaya-nah" and stuck to their guns, risking an all out Battle.net ban over there (like the NBA has experienced) but I don't think that's a realistic expectation. It would be the morally right thing, but eh, I'm not that naive.

I'm not going to be apologetic for the way Blizzard handled this, because it's terrible. I only understand that making statements like that on a live stream can't be expected to go without repercussions. If Blizzard had shown they had at least done some effort to protect Blitzchung in all this then the punishment might've not been as severe and the community backlash might've been a lot less intense. Right now it looks like Blizzard just rolled over and didn't give a fuck. That's bad.




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Lead Pipe Mafia
Lead Pipe Mafia
Joined: 15 Oct 2007
Posts: 5943
PostPosted: 10-10-2019 02:38 AM           Profile   Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


Yup, I uninstalled Overwatch. It's not just the player they also fired the casters for letting him make his statement. All to appease China. It's not just Blizzard either, China has been forcing any companies they have leverage on to do as China wishes.




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Welfare Recipient
Welfare Recipient
Joined: 02 Mar 2007
Posts: 20936
PostPosted: 10-10-2019 05:54 AM           Profile Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


hong kong is part of china...protesters need to move to a better country cuz they they will lose this fight...




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Arrr?
Arrr?
Joined: 09 Feb 2001
Posts: 35460
PostPosted: 10-10-2019 07:07 AM           Profile Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


They put profit over principal, that's not the kind of company I want to support by buying their products. :down:




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Etile
Etile
Joined: 19 Nov 2003
Posts: 34898
PostPosted: 10-10-2019 11:32 AM           Profile Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


chinese communist party = literal fascists




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Just another Earthling
Just another Earthling
Joined: 20 Jul 2001
Posts: 12925
PostPosted: 10-10-2019 01:50 PM           Profile Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


I understand the dilemmas here and Blizzard surely should have managed the situation far better.

I'd like to say beware of China :paranoid: Whether we like it or not, they are a growing international force in so many ways so maybe methinks I better learn Mandarin.

Quick Google to find
Quote:
Mandarin Chinese is the most popular language in China, with over 955 million speakers out of China's total population of 1.21 billion people


And the population numbers for a quick comparison and a URL to a site of some interest
http://worldpopulationreview.com/

Population USA - 327.2 million
Population China - 1.435 billion
Population India - 1.339 billion



_________________
Physicist of Q3W


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Etile
Etile
Joined: 19 Nov 2003
Posts: 34898
PostPosted: 10-10-2019 11:51 PM           Profile Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


corporations will happily use their official events, social media, and general clout to promote (political) issues like international women's month, trans rights, diversity, pride etc because doing so enhances their brand (and hence their share value), and we applaud them for it

we shouldn't though. it's really no different in its intent from cancelling people for protesting about HK, Uyghurs, or just liking an orange man tweet

corporate "values" = shareholder value and nothing more. it's not rocket surgery




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Linux Version
Linux Version
Joined: 04 Dec 1999
Posts: 2562
PostPosted: 10-11-2019 03:26 AM           Profile   Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


They did post an official apology.... to China:

Image

Blizzcon is gonna be amusing in a couple of weeks.




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Unquantifiable Abstract
Unquantifiable Abstract
Joined: 31 Dec 1969
Posts: 52132
PostPosted: 10-11-2019 03:53 AM           Profile   Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


Ouch




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Cool #9
Cool #9
Joined: 01 Dec 2000
Posts: 44131
PostPosted: 10-11-2019 03:54 AM           Profile   Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


Therac-25 wrote:
Image


Post a link to the source so we can verify it's indeed coming from Blizzard and it indeed says what the image claims it says.




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Linux Version
Linux Version
Joined: 04 Dec 1999
Posts: 2562
PostPosted: 10-11-2019 04:13 AM           Profile   Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


Eraser wrote:
Post a link to the source so we can verify it's indeed coming from Blizzard and it indeed says what the image claims it says.


https://www.weibo.com/5883095259/Iax1avYRU?type=comment#_rnd1570796011637

(The comment is by the playhearthstone account, which is the official Hearthstone one).




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Etile
Etile
Joined: 19 Nov 2003
Posts: 34898
PostPosted: 10-11-2019 12:07 PM           Profile Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


does Dr Geebs still post here?

i just cringed so hard i need medical attention :|




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Cool #9
Cool #9
Joined: 01 Dec 2000
Posts: 44131
PostPosted: 10-12-2019 12:25 AM           Profile   Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


Pretty shocking.
I translated the complete statement with Google Lens and the language is a little softer than what the translation in the picture suggests, but still, it's appaling they made an official statement towards Chinese players but are completely silent on the Western front.




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Cool #9
Cool #9
Joined: 01 Dec 2000
Posts: 44131
PostPosted: 10-12-2019 04:06 AM           Profile   Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


And now Blizzard has declared Blitzchung's view had nothing to do with their decision and it was not made under Chinese influence. They now reinstated his winnings and halved his ban duration.

Blizzard is digging a deeeeep hole for themselves.




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Arrr?
Arrr?
Joined: 09 Feb 2001
Posts: 35460
PostPosted: 10-12-2019 09:49 AM           Profile Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


I know Blitzchung kind of put Blizzard in an impossible situation with no real good answer, but Blizzard managed to make the worst move every step of the way. :down:




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Unquantifiable Abstract
Unquantifiable Abstract
Joined: 31 Dec 1969
Posts: 52132
PostPosted: 10-12-2019 01:31 PM           Profile   Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


There will be mass protests at Blizzcon because of this fuckery.




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Etile
Etile
Joined: 19 Nov 2003
Posts: 34898
PostPosted: 10-13-2019 01:48 AM           Profile Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


in before woke activists claim that all criticism of CCP totalitarianism is 'sinophobia' and therefore 'hate speech' and our cowardly governments publicly agree because there's money to be made by not upsetting the CCP

it's coming, lads




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Linux Version
Linux Version
Joined: 04 Dec 1999
Posts: 2562
PostPosted: 10-15-2019 08:49 AM           Profile   Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


Image
:olo: :olo: :olo:




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Cool #9
Cool #9
Joined: 01 Dec 2000
Posts: 44131
PostPosted: 10-15-2019 09:42 AM           Profile   Send private message  E-mail  Edit post Reply with quote


Blizzard expects a shitstorm




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